Mediterranean migrant death toll for 2017 tops 1,000

Around 100 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean according to shipwreck survivors, raising the death toll for the perilous crossing to Italy to over 1,000 victims in 2017, the U.N.’s refugee agency said Friday.


“This latest tragedy pushes the number of people dead or missing in the central Mediterranean to 1,073 so far this year,” the UNHCR told AFP.

Among the 8,000 or so migrants plucked from flimsy dinghies over Easter weekend were survivors who told the agency about 100 of their fellow passengers had been claimed by the waves.

At this point last year, 853 people had lost their lives or were feared drowned.
 [dailystar.com.lb/AFP]
21/4/17